


Bag Dads

by StardustDreamsandAnarchy



Category: Dimension 20 (Web Series), NADDPOD - Fandom, Not Another D&D Podcast (Podcast), naddpodxdimension20
Genre: Crossover, Dimension Travel, Father Figures, Fatherhood, Gen, Portals, naddpodxdimension20 - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:14:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25681147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StardustDreamsandAnarchy/pseuds/StardustDreamsandAnarchy
Summary: Balnor is back in his version of the Fae Wilds and he's bored... until an odd and clumsy elf comes through a portal right in front of him
Comments: 4
Kudos: 30





	Bag Dads

Balnor sat with his feet in the river, enjoying the coolness and the feeling of the water running over them. He was supposed to be fishing, but there was no challenge to it. His bucket sat empty at his side, surrounded by daisy’s yelling “Pick me! Pick me!”. His sword stood, unused and perfectly pristine in the ground several feet away. He’s stuck it there when he first returned as a warning and a promise to only use violence when a threat showed itself again. None had.

The early morning sun shone gently on him, filling him with a soft sadness as he basked in it. If the Boobs were here, they’d be singing a song and goofing off or picking flowers and inciting a rebellion. He could almost hear Bev’s sweet, high voice or the rough laughter of Hardwon, could almost smell the earthy spices of Moonshine’s food and imagine the warmth of Paw-Paw curled up in his lap. 

He let out a wheezy sigh and began to stretch. He’d missed the peace and his family, but he wished he hadn’t had to lose another one to gain them. As he got up to begin fishing, a bright green and purple light began to glow from the river a few feet away from him and he scrambled back, rushing to pull his sword loose from its place in the earth. He struggled a bit, he was trying to keep an eye on the ever growing light. The light reached a blinding level and he gave a rough yank to the hilt, pulling the sword from the dirt with enough force to send him flying into a bush. He quickly pulled himself out in time to see a long figure emerge from below the waters’ surface and flounder about.

”HELP! Hel-!” The man yelled out before he began to sink back into the now clear water. Balnor threw the sword aside and rushed into the water. He grabbed the man’s shirt and dragged him to the river bank. He was on his back, gasping for air, Balnor stood over him, appraising this odd man. 

“C’mon! It’s not even that deep!” The water barely came to Balnor’s knees and this person was an elf! The man flipped over to his knees and Balnor saw a large bag on his back, which had obviously weighed him down. 

“I must apologize, kind sir. You see, I was accompanying some young adventurers on their quest and I fell into the toilet. It must have been trapped! That damn Night Yorb!” He stood up to his full height and looked around worried, allowing Balnor to take him in. This elf was somehow- impossibly- balding. He looked aged, as though life had taken several low blows to him, and he’d decided to throw in the towel. He spoke with the accent of the High Elves of Bahumia, but everything about his dress and mannerisms said that he was neither High-born or Crick. His outfit was actually very reminiscent of A Green Teen Badge Master, but this man was no Green Knight. 

“Thank you for saving me from that dreadful river! Please, where am I?”

“Uhh- Hi, you’re in the Lost Woods of the Spring Court… in the Fae Wilds, if that helps.”

The elf groaned and pulled a crystalline device out of his shirt pocket, holding it in the air in every direction.

“Wherever this place is, it’s out of reach of the Thistlespring’s satellite. Tell me, do you know where Elmville is?” He looked expectantly at Balnor who just shook his head. “What about the Dune Fort? How about Solace in general?” Fallinel? You said something about Fae, that sounds like Fallinel… No?” As Balnor continued to shake his head in the negative, the elf’s face fell. Finally, he just said “Oh dear.” And sat down. 

Balnor knelt down next to him, and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “You seem to be very far from home, how bout we go get some Bud Heavies and talk it out. I’m Balnor.”

The elf reached out a hand to shake Balnor’s as he said “Gilear.” 

Balnor helped Gilear up and lead him into town, his fishing gear and sword long forgotten.

The pub in town was just opening, so Balnor and Gilear were the first in. The owner rushed to start a fire as he saw the two dripping men walk through the doors and Balnor led Gilear to a chair close to the fire. He motioned at the owner for two pints and looked over at the schlubby elf. He had an odd, regal air but was so clumsy, the clumsiness was all that came through. 

“So, Gilear. Where are you from? Tell me about your adventures!”

Gilear looked up surprised. “Ah, you must be confused. An adventurer I am not.”

“Bah, I know a Bag Dad when I see one.” He gestured at the heavy pack which was precariously close to the fire. Gilear righted it and sat up, sighing. 

“My daughter and step-son?" He shook his head at the phrase."-The son of my lady-friend and my daughter are adventurer’s. Part of a party they call the “Bad Kids”. They’ve once again brought me along as an intern. All I do is carry the bags and take lunch orders and apparently fall into portals.” 

“Carrying the bags is important work!” Balnor took a sip of the thick ale the bartender had brought them and held up a muscle-y arm. “We keep their supplies safe, keep them safe! And hell, sometimes we fight too, right? We explore the unknown places with the kiddo’s and teach them how to be good people. Who’s to say we aren’t adventurer’s!”

“You do have a point, I suppose. I went with my daughter’s party on their last mission and took part in at least one scrap. But I don’t do it for the adventure. I do it for my daughter. I feel as though I owe it to her, to try to make up for when I hurt her.” And Gilear told Balnor about how his marriage had fallen apart after his daughter grew horns, revealing devilish ancestry and her mother’s infidelity. 

“I’d always known that Sandralynn was a wild woman. Her fierceness is the thing that drew me to her, but alas, I was not wild enough for her. We broke up and I said some horrid things to Fig, simply horrid. She lashed out for a while and stopped calling me her Father.” Gilear looked deeply into his beer, getting watery-eyed. “Being Fig’s father was the most important thing I’d done. When she stopped seeing me that way, when I saw how much I’d hurt her…. I would go to the ends of the earth for her, fight a thousand Nightmare King’s and Night Yorb’s if only to never see that look in her eyes again. So, she and her friends ask me along for an adventure and I say yes. Luckily, my boss seems… invested… in allowing me to spend quality time with my daughter and fire’s me whenever she has a mission, even though he knows I have vacation time and sick days.”

Balnor nodded thoughtfully as he listened to Gilear speak. 

“Fatherhood does things to people. You know I’ve been sent through a portal to another dimension too?”

“Really?!” Gilear looked impressed.

“Yeah, this realm is closely related to another, with a world called Bahumia in it. I got sent to Bahumia in the past, in another dimension… It’s kind of confusing, but because our dimensions are close, the things that happen there, affect us. A war was lost on Bahumia and its’ refugees came here. The invaders came here too and wreaked havoc. The first time- At first, I was too weak to do anything and I lost everything. I lost my son.” Balnor gulped a little, trying to keep control of his emotion. “I lost my Bobby and was offered an opportunity to turn back time to save my son, so of course I took it. I was sent to Bahumia, to aid an adventuring party with a Young Elf, a human, and a little Halfling who was so much like my Bobby. My memories were erased- so that I couldn’t be used by the enemies- and I had no idea who I was, I just knew I’d lost a lot. Later, we were told that I was important, pivotal even, in the fight against Thiala. I didn’t believe at first, I thought ‘Who needs me, a useless old man.’ But those kids needed me, and the world needed them. I’m sure your kids need you too.”

“Thank you, Balnor.” Gilear and Balnor sat in a thoughtful silence and finished their drinks. 

“If you don’t mind, I think I’d like to return to the river to try to see if anything can be gleaned from it.”

“Sure, I’ll guide you.”

Many hours had passed, but the sun hadn’t moved, obviously confusing Gilear. Balnor explained the Fae Wilds to Gilear as they walked. 

“… And if you go uppy-lefty, you run into the Fall Court, The Queen there is nice.” 

“What an interesting world you inhabit! I would love to learn more… If I don’t find a way home, I fear I will have no choice in the matter.”

Gilear walked up and down the river bank, peering in to it to see if any clue were apparent. Something caught his eye in the middle of the river and he took his back pack off, gently placing it to the ground before wading in. He got half way through and took a deep breath, pushing his head below the surface. As he did this, Balnor held his fishing bucket over the water’s edge and waited as several fish jumped in.

He took his bucket and sat by Gilear’s bag waiting. He could see the frosty white wisps of Gilear’s head just above the surface as the elf searched. Soon, he gave up and began to walk over to join the waiting halfling.

“It’s no use, I’m no detective. If only Riz were here.” Gilear lamented and Balnor nodded. 

“Sounds like a smart kid.”

Balnor now rested with his back against Gilear’s bag, reveling in the warm comfort and familiarity of the position. He grew warmer and warmer and realized nearly too late that the heat was not coming from him but emitting from the bag. He got up and backed away as the bag began to grow warmer and suddenly burst into flame. The flames grew higher and burned hot enough for Balnor and Gilear to feel nearly 30 feet away. The fire formed into a doorway which was thrown open by a young tiefling woman with flaming eyes, wielding a strange axe-lute combo.

“Gilear!!! Gilear where are you!?” She looked around and her eyes cleared as she saw the elven man. Peeking out from around her legs was an odd demon, who giggled and ran to grab Gilear’s hand. 

“We tracked the Armor of Pride in your pack!!!” The creature shrieked. 

“Dad! Oh thank, god! We were so worried for you. Kristen took some damage and we assumed the worst, but you’re okay!” Fig looked from her father to Balnor, to Balnor’s sword which hung limply in his hands.

“Who is this! Did he take you hostage? Is he working for You-Know-Who?!” Fig grabbed her axe and moved to play a riff on it, but was stopped by Gilear. 

“No, daughter, this is Balnor, he saved me when I first came to this land and has been helping me try to find a way back. Balnor, this is Figueroth.”

“Nice to meet you.” Balnor held out his hands but Fig knocked it aside to hug him and he had an overwhelming feeling of familiarity as he hugged the girl. 

“How nice to know there are hospitable people in every realm! Thanks for saving my Dad, Balnor. Now, c’mon Dad, Riz and Adaine made a major break in the Yight Norb case!” The teen hopped back into the flaming portal and her imp followed. 

“It seems that my portal problem has been solved. Thank you for all your help Balnor.”

“It’s no problem Gilear. Now go, your kid needs you.” Gilear smiled, some-what sadly at the halfling, then moved to join his daughter in the portal. He bent to grab his bag, and stumbled a bit. Fig righted him and the two waved goodbye as the portal closed, leaving nothing but a slightly burnt patch of grass in it’s place. 

Balnor’s hand dropped as the last bit of flame faded away. He sat on the river bank with his feet in the cool water and watched the nannerfly’s lazily flutter across the still sky above him. The sword lay heavy on his lap and he thought about how even though no new dangers were presenting themselves, there were still adventures to be had in the world.


End file.
